it's may 26, 2008, in the remote east of afghanistan, near the mountainous border of pakistan. helicopters carrying dozens of elite army rangers race over the rugged landscape. and their target is an insurgent compound. it's broad daylight. the insurgents are heavily armed. but it's considered a risk worth taking because intelligence indicates that a top al qaeda commander is in that compound. soon, the helicopters touch down, and our rangers immediately come under fire. within minutes, leroy -- then a staff sergeant -- and another soldier are pushing ahead into a courtyard, surrounded by high mud walls. and that's when the enemy opens up with their ak-47's. leroy is hit in both legs. he's bleeding badly, but he summons the strength to lead the other ranger to cover, behind a chicken coop. he radios for support. he hurls a grenade at the enemy, giving cover to a third ranger who rushes to their aid. an enemy grenade explodes nearby, wounding leroy's two comrades. and then a second grenade lands -- this time, only a few feet away. every human impulse would tell someone to turn a